Quantum transport through one-dimensional double-quantum-well systems

We investigate the lateral tunneling properties of electrons through a one-dimensional double-quantum-well system using the recursive Green’s-function technique. The conductance exhibits a number of interesting quantum-interference effects, including a strong resonance at the onset of conductance, a ‘‘beating’’ effect due to competing characteristic times for the system, and a finite conductance at large Fermi energies, where the densities of states for the individual wells is small. It is shown that the last property may be exploited to use this system as a quantum-interference transistor.